View full sizePS 22 Chorus members and director Gregg Breinberg did some sightseeing Sunday upon their arrival in Washington.PS 22 Chrous

They were part of inauguration history on Monday, but what acclaimed PS 22 Chorus members might remember most, at least in the short term, are the words of congratulations they received after their performance from superstars Katy Perry and John Mayer, who were in attendance.

The couple "visited with the kids, and took pictures with them," said chorus director Gregg Breinberg. "That was probably the biggest highlight, the thing they will take away most from the experience, at least for now."

In time, he said, the youngsters, who performed four songs during Monday morning's prelude to President Obama's second inaugural, will have time to reflect on the significance of their presence on such a historic day.

Bundled up in black jackets and black caps, the 65 fifth graders from the Graniteville school sang "God Bless the USA," "Home," "On Top of the World" and "One Dream" on the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

Breinberg said the children were "super excited" to be part of history.

"We were all really thrilled," said Breinberg. "After all the stress and work, everyone is leaving happy, excited and proud. The kids really outdid themselves. The audience was so vast, but they stayed focused on their music. They wanted to get out there and sing their hearts out and they did. They did a beautiful, beautiful job."

The group traveled by bus to Washington, D.C., Sunday morning. They rehearsed at the Capitol and toured the inside, where they posed for pictures.

Their performance was arranged by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), co-chair of the inaugural committee.

They performed at 9:30 a.m. and had to stay in place afterward, giving them a bird's eye view of the ceremony to come.